If you don’t have customers, you don’t have a business. It doesn’t matter if your business is virtual or a bricks and mortar business. You must have clients to have a true business. After all, the name of the game in any business is making money, right? A lot of business owners do a lot of planning and learning but they never move to the next level and actually find a paying client.
Landing clients for your business can seem daunting. However, if you follow these three simple tips you’ll soon find yourself with a full roster of clients.
1. Ask for Testimonials & Recommendations
Ask people you have worked with/for to provide testimonials and recommendations for you. If you don’t ask, you won’t get them. Make it a habit of asking EVERY person you know for a recommendation. It doesn’t matter if you’ve done actual paying work for them, perhaps you’ve assisted on a project in school, or gave them some advice that worked, or volunteered with a particular group… ASK them to give you a testimonial and a recommendation.
2. Ask for Referrals
Ask your friends and people that you know for referrals to others who may need what you have to offer. You can INCENTIVIZE them to help you find clients by OFFERING A DISCOUNT on work they might need or even free time in exchange for a paying client referral. Eventually, your business will run mostly on word-of-mouth so it’s important to always ask for referrals.
3. Promote What You Have
PARTICIPATE in online and offline events where you can talk about your expertise. Be part of your COMMUNITY and you will find that soon enough you’ll have more business than you know what to do with.
If you have a professional presence, and ensure that everyone you come into contact with knows about your business and that you’re accepting new clients, you’ll go far in starting to fill that client list until it’s bursting at the seams.